Warm weather last week helped open up some waters and road ways. Increased flows are closing other waters. This week’s cooler weather and snow flurries have slowed down the snow melt. Lake resorts and lodges are starting to clean up this winter’s snow fall in preparation to open. Be patient as it is taking time for the Eastern Sierra to open up. Even though it’s May on the calendar it’s acting more like March or early April. Midges and blues wing olives are providing insects for the trout to feed on. Funniest thing from opening weekend is boats showing up to Crowley Lake clueless that they could not launch their boats.
Thirteenth annual Fish Camp held at Bishop City Park where 6 to 12 year old’s get introduced to fly fishing.
Lower Owens River
Wild Trout Section:
Flow in the lower Owens River continue running at 750 CFS and are expected to peak at over 1,000 CFS in June. Pleasant Valley Dam Road is closed at Pleasant Valley Campground. Chalk Bluff is closed west of Five Bridges Road at the chalk bluff. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is open on the north end with access from Gorge Road into Gorge Power Plant. Fly fishers fishing lots of weight, several AB split shot, are getting their flies on the substrate and catching trout. I would use extreme caution when walking the banks of the river as there are lots of eroded banks just waiting to break away.
From Pleasant Valley Reservoir to Pleasant Valley Campground there is no angler access to the river.
Hot Creek:
Interpretive Site:
Access to the creek is still over the snow. With the cooler temps the snow melt slowed down. Blue wing olive mayflies are providing action as they hatch mid-day. Size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 sparkle duns and size 18 olive quilldiogons are fooling the wild trout.
Access to Hot Creek Canyon is still over the snow..
Hot Creek:
Canyon Section:
Fly fishers still have to walk over the snow to get into the canyon. This weeks cooler weather slowed down the snow melt. For those fly fishers putting in the effort to access the creek in the canyon it is producing wild trout on nymphs. Olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and brassies are fooling the trout.
Most of the snow has melted from the banks of the upper Owens River.
Upper Owens River
Above Benton Crossing Bridge:
The snow is pretty much gone on the dirt road leading into the upper Owens River above Benton Crossing. The road is supper muddy and it will be easy to get stuck even in four wheel drive. The cutthroats are not in yet, but this is the time of the year I start heading out to the river looking for them. There are a few trophy brown trout being caught.
Wild brown trout and stocker rainbows are taking nymphs under an indicator for Nate Ostrander.
Bishop Creek Canal:
Behind the Ford Dealer:
Nate Ostrander fished the canal middle of the day catching browns and rainbows on blue wing olive nymph patterns fished under an indicator. Now that the canal is open to any method of take it’s getting lots of fishing pressure. Nymphs are producing trout fished under an indicator or with a Euro outfit.
Pine creek continues to be a spot to fly fish before the snow melt blows out the creek.
Pine Creek Weir:
Pine Creek is flowing relatively clear and the trout are feeding on midges and blue wing olive nymphs. Fishing under and indicator or with the Euro nymph rig is producing lots of fish for anglers fishing middle of the day.
Owens River
In the Gorge:
Flows are increasing making fly fishing tough. If flows exceed 540 CFS the gorge will get shut down again.